# Why do aliens in movies/TV always invade the USA? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014 "2009-03-27T17:03:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/1 "2009-03-27T17:03:49Z")
One of Roger Ebert’s [reps at Cannes](http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090321/COMMENTARY/903219997/-1/RSS) posed an interesting question inspired by a line from the new film _Monsters vs. Aliens_: “Once again, a UFO has landed in America, the only country UFOs ever seem to land in!” It is indeed an intriguing question: why _do_ aliens always seem to invade the USA? Kiefer Sutherland, who plays the general W.R. Monger, gave an interesting answer: because the films are made in America. Jeffrey Katzenberg gave a humorous, yet sensible answer: “We had it coming!” I think this is indeed why aliens would choose to invade America: because America is a well-known and well-off country. The United States is probably the most successful country in the world in terms of economic and political power. (Of course, reasons like this are the same reasons America is hated overseas, which has lead to terrorist attacks.) Alien races in movies are often depicted as intelligent on Earthling affairs, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the aliens knew in advance of the prosperity and political clout of the United States and chose it intentionally: if the United States were destroyed, it would have a major effect on the world economy, and the President of the United States is probably the most well-known political leader, so it’s not surprising they’d choose him as the “leader” they want to be “taken to.” Although, as Kiefer points out, it may be a bit of Americentricism in play as well. Why do you think aliens always seem to choose America? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/2 "2009-03-27T17:09:50Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > Why do you think aliens always seem to choose America? For the same reason that the _Police Academy_ movies are about American cops. The movies are made in the US for American audiences. FWIW, the badguys in _Independence Day_ blew up the Eifell Tower and shit. ---
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/3 "2009-03-27T17:12:06Z")
In general that makes sense. If the aliens are smart, they go to the place most recognized on Earth as “the leader.” I know that it offends some touchy Europeans, Canadians, Chinese, etc. to mention this, but right now, in 2009, the United States is still recognized as such around the world, for good and ill. That said, I think it would be interesting to have these kind of alien vistation movies set in other countries, if only to mix up the narrative. All the American movie cliches-- the farmer bumpkins discovering aliens in their barn, the President addressing the world, the same NASA/Air Force/CIA/Men in Black crew of scientists/agents, etc.-- are kind of stale. Aliens landing in Tokyo, Paris, or heh, Mecca. . . that would automatically be more creative just by being different. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Batman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@The\_Batman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Batman)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/4 "2009-03-27T17:14:28Z")
It’s not so much that the aliens invade America as it is that the filmmakers focus on America when the world is being invaded. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/5 "2009-03-27T17:15:24Z")
Because those damn librul Deemocrats won’t enforce the laws and protect our borders, that’s why. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/6 "2009-03-27T17:19:10Z")
Because that’s where the jobs are. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/7 "2009-03-27T17:20:21Z")
If you watch _Doctor Who_, they mostly invade Wales, from what I’ve seen. > [@friedo](#): > > FWIW, the badguys in Independence Day blew up the Eifell Tower and shit. You must have seen a different version from the one I saw. ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/8 "2009-03-27T17:22:40Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > FWIW, the badguys in _Independence Day_ blew up the Eifell Tower and shit. To be fair, after destroying a major Parisian monument, you’d probably be in need of a good dump. Other questions: Why are monsters in Japanese monster movies always attacking Tokyo? Why did Dickens set his books in England? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/9 "2009-03-27T17:26:25Z")
Does America do the most in the way of trying to contact aliens, or do other countries do that too? ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/10 "2009-03-27T17:27:20Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > If you watch _Doctor Who_, they mostly invade Wales, from what I’ve seen. Beaten to the punch. Sometimes they’re hovering over London, too. In **Signs** , the aliens had ships all over the world. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/11 "2009-03-27T17:28:28Z")
If you watch anime, you’ll find that they mostly invade Tokyo, though some invade other parts of Japan. Hokkaido is about as far as they get from Tokyo, however. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/12 "2009-03-27T17:48:39Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > Beaten to the punch. Sometimes they’re hovering over London, too. > In **Signs** , the aliens had ships all over the world. In Signs isnt that first video of the aliens from Mexico? A birthday party or something, wasnt it? ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/13 "2009-03-27T17:58:01Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > In Signs isnt that first video of the aliens from Mexico? A birthday party or something, wasnt it? I haven’t seen the movie in awhile, but I think you’re right. I don’t remember the exact country it was in, somewhere in South America, though, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/14 "2009-03-27T17:58:31Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > In Signs isnt that first video of the aliens from Mexico? A birthday party or something, wasnt it? Alien aliens! ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/15 "2009-03-27T18:02:09Z")
Undocumented aliens from outer space. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/16 "2009-03-27T18:10:02Z")
People tend to forget that the **first** alien invasion was in England (_War of the Worlds_) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/17 "2009-03-27T18:50:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Does America do the most in the way of trying to contact aliens, or do other countries do that too? Insofar as there has been one American attempt to contact aliens, and zero from all other countries. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/18 "2009-03-27T18:53:59Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > In **Signs** , the aliens had ships all over the world. The same thing happened in **V**. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/19 "2009-03-27T18:59:58Z")
> [@davekhps](#): > > Aliens landing in Tokyo, Paris, or heh, Mecca. . . that would automatically be more creative just by being different. Well, as for that specific example, an American movie showing aliens occupying Mecca, or worse yet destroying it, would be politically … um … sensitive. ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014/20 "2009-03-27T19:03:44Z")
In the Arthur C Clarke short-short story _When the Twerms Came_, the alien invaders centre on Zurich, where they access all the numbered bank accounts. “By first post Monday morning, the conquest of Earth was complete.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-aliens-in-movies-tv-always-invade-the-usa/491014.md?page=2)